Superstorm Sandy significantly impacted Con Edison’s electric distribution system, interrupting service for roughly 1.4 million New Yorkers and generating more than $500 million in response and restoration costs. Post-Sandy, Con Edison recognized that it was incumbent on them to enhance their systems’ resilience to climate change due to the interconnectedness of their utility to critical systems citywide.

To prepare for storms and future sea level rise, Con Edison selected STV to design hardening measures for five substations and four generating stations. STV presented Con Edison with a variety of alternative solutions that were evaluated in terms of risk tolerance, criticality of the asset, cost, mobilization efforts, as well as phasing plans to carry out the work. The design ultimately included installing flood barriers at transformer vaults, reinforcing and increasing the height of perimeter walls, compartmentalizing critical equipment, and adding flood doors. It also included the installation of emergency generators and dewatering pumps with structurally reinforced exterior walls. These protective measures will help protect critical electric and steam system from future disruption.